


Weird Autumn

by ObscureSubmarine



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, spider-man homecoming
Genre: Heavily inspired by Night In The Woods, Kinda weird but I like it!, M/M, Suburbia, Supernatural Elements, Tony and Steve are Peter's dads, high school shenanigans, woods
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-07
Updated: 2017-08-07
Packaged: 2018-12-12 08:36:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11733492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObscureSubmarine/pseuds/ObscureSubmarine
Summary: Every small town has to have that one weird house that the one weird family lives in. This is the story of one of the residents of the weird house.





	1. Some people are one way and that's how they stay

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I'm not dead! I have recently watched a play through of the spectacular game called Night In The Woods, and I was inspired to make this fan fiction. The title of this fic comes directly from the game, being a song that you and your friends play. Many of the characters in this story will be supernatural creatures, so I hope you enjoy!

Deep, deep within the rolling hills and lush forests of Upstate New York is a small town called Brooklyn*. This town is exactly like you would expect when first told of a quaint little town in the middle of nowhere. Friendly neighbours, small houses, white picket fences, it's the literal representation of the American Dream. This town is home to just over 2,000 people, making them a tight-knit group, and a very neighbourly one at that. But, just like any small rural town, this town has That House. That House is the reason why you cross the street to avoid walking past it. That House makes you wonder if you are safe to sleep at night. That House is the source of all your nightmares! And, just like any town, That House is home to That Family. 

They are the weird people in your otherwise picture perfect town. They, and their creepy house, put a blemish on your beautiful town. They are the public menace, and since this little town has such a tight-knit group living in it, that means that the gossip mill is always running. Rumours fly like fireworks on the Fourth of July, and everyone makes up stories about what might be going on in That House. "I think they live like vampires! They sleep all day and stay up all night!" "No, it can't be that, we've seen THEM before. I think they make sacrifices in their basement." "They're probably CIA." Whatever THEY are, no one wants to get close enough to find out. Sadly, these people will interact with you occasionally, especially since one has a job and the youngest goes to the town high school.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The Family members do have names, though most people never bother to learn them. Some do, but that's because they have to interact with the two members that step outside of the house. That's just a first name basis. Everyone in town knows their last name, that's how the rumours started to fly! Their name is the Rogers-Stark family, and everyone knows those names. Tony Stark was a billionaire inventor, giving the world amazing tech products, and Steve Rogers was a decorated captain in the United States marines (I hope this is right I'm not American). Both of them dropped off the map years ago, and no one had heard from them since. Until they decided to move into That House. 

Tony was always known for being a bit eccentric, but now he was probably the most sane one of the trio! But that isn't saying much. He is the town mechanic, and a skilled one at that, but he talks to things that no one can see, calling them by names like 'Jocasta' or 'Ultron'. He pets each car he works on, and he promises to each one that he can make it fly. All the townsfolk just accept his quirks since he can fix their cars better than anyone, but the five cars rotting away into oblivion in his backyard are becoming a health concern. Every time someone brings up those cars he snaps and hisses at them, screaming that they can't take his cars away. Everyone just deals with it. He fixes their cars. That's all they want.  
Steve is.....strange. Though his strangeness wasn't exactly his fault. He was a decorated captain in the marines, and was one of the best. His speed and strength were only matched by his best friend Bucky, so the two clicked together like puzzle pieces. One day a mission went awry, giving Steve a massive case of shell shock. An IED was hit by the caravan in front of him, killing his best friend. Miraculously, everyone else in the caravan survived, albeit with life-threatening injuries. Watching the caravan blow changed something in Steve, leading him to believe that he was living in the 1940's. He dressed and acted the way that was fitting for that period, making him seem extremely strange. Tony finds it endearing, making the two perfect for each other. Steve will still go out on the town on his antique bike, marvelling at all the 'technological advances' in the town that are just simple things like cell phones and Bluetooth speakers. But perhaps the strangest of the Rogers-Stark family is their adopted son, Peter.

~~~~~~~~~~~

No one has managed to figure out how the Rogers-Stark men managed to adopt a child considering their mental states, but they did. And it seems that they adopted an equally strange child. Peter Parker lost his parents at the tender age of 5, and he believes that they were killed by a demon that had wandered out into the road from the cemetery, which wasn't very far away from the crash site. Child Protective Services didn't know what to make of the child, so when they heard that some people wanted to adopt him, they jumped for joy. Now, Peter is a member of the Rogers-Stark family, and is greatly loved by his parents, who firmly believe in all of Peter's beliefs. Those beliefs help him to some degree at school.  
The fifteen year old is given a wide berth whenever he walks down a hall, parting the kids jammed into it like the Red Sea. People are scared of the youngest Rogers-Stark, so they stay away from him, believing that if he sees them he will unleash a tyrade of strange sentences and accuse them of being demons or something. Even without his weird ideas, Peter would still be shunned by the entire school since he wears red and blue pyjamas with spider webbing on it a lot, and when he doesn't wear the pyjamas he wears clothes that have spiders on them. He believes he has the powers of a spider, and many trips to the hospital have come from that. Too many broken bones from trying to stick to walls. Only one person dares to get close to the Spiderling. Flash Thompson.

Flash is the school bully, and just like Peter, everyone is scared of him. Except Peter. Flash has made it his goal to get Peter to be scared of him before the end of the school year, and today would be the day. Flash had decided that he was going to hide around a corner and bash the Spiderling's head into a locker. That would scare the creep! Flash saw the kids beginning to part in the hallway, so he knew that Peter was coming. He snickered to himself as he pressed up against the wall, and just as Peter walked into his line of sight, he burst out and slammed Peter's head against the locker, leaving a dent in the red metal. The hallway erupted into laughter as Peter slumped to the floor and struggled to pull himself up. Flash considered this a job well done, but Peter wasn't finished. "You'll pay for this!" Peter screeched as he turned to face Flash. "You have awoken the wrath of the Forest God! He will finish you, along with all of my friends! My friends will make you pay, and they shall curse you to walk this earth as a spectre, tormented by your past life!" Flash didn't know what to make of the seething Spiderling. What was this nonsense he was saying? "Hah, I'm not scared of your wacked- out head! Looks like the Spiderling really hit his head hard!" Everyone laughed at Flash's comment. That just made Peter even madder. "YOU SHALL ALL PAY FOR YOUR TREACHERY!!!!!! HEAR ME HERETIC! YOU SHALL BURN AT THE SIGHT OF THE FOREST GOD! BUUUUUUUUURN!" With that comment, Peter grabbed his backpack from where it lay on the floor, and took off down the hallway, throwing open the window and vaulting out. Everyone stared in silence at the spot where Peter had been, and then looked at Flash. "Well, I sure scared him out of his wits! If he had any."

~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Peter ran back home as fast as he could. Those kids don't even know what they're doing! They don't know who they're messing with! His heart burned with fury. How DARE they laugh at the very mention of HIS name! They really shall pay for that dreadful mistake! He tore down the street at lightning speed, jumping over his fence with ease. He threw open the door and plunked his backpack down on one of the kitchen table chairs. "Why hello there son, how was school today? Have they put ol' Adolf in the history books yet?" Steve called from the living room, looking up from his daily newspaper. "Today was awful Pop, they slandered the name of the Forest God!" Peter snarled as he grabbed a water bottle from the fridge. "They should have never done that! Y'know, they oughta sign up for the army, that'll do those miscreants some good!" Steve said as he came over to Peter to give him a comforting hug. "My pal Bucky died in the Great War for those buffoons, they oughta show some respect!" "I know Pop. They do." Peter replied. "Who needs to do what?" Tony's voice rang out from the backyard where he was working on his favourite rust bucket Jarvis. "The kids at school laughed at the Forest God!" Peter called back. "Grrrrr, these kids need to learn to respect the supernatural!" Tony growled. "They only believe in what they can see!" "Well, I'm going to talk to the Forest God about this. HE will know what to do" Peter said as he went out the back door. "Alright! Be back before dusk!" Tony said as he continued to work on Jarvis. "And look out for any Krauts! You never know where they could be hiding!" Steve called.

Peter stepped out of the gate that locked the way into the woods away from him, and stepped out onto the path that was littered with fallen leaves of every colour. "I can't believe those kids" Peter thought "Every bit of nature is a gift from HIM." With that idea in his brain, Peter stepped out into the forest.


	2. Some people find one life and they live that way

Peter was always more at peace when he was in the woods. The trees high above his head gave him a shield that would protect him from the harsh, cruel world around him. When he was in the woods, nothing mattered. All that Peter heard was the whispering of the wind in his ears and the crackling of autumn leaves underneath his boots like the crackle of a campfire. The winds kissed his face and tousled his hair like a mother and her child. Well, in Peter's case, a father and his child. Peter sighed. Only his fathers understood him. Only they could see the world beyond the woods. They knew what life was truly like. Peter was so glad that they had ended up being his parents. It's like it was meant to be.  
Peter pushed any thoughts out of his head as he continued farther into the forest. He noticed little squirrels racing around a huge oak tree as they both tried to get a nut that somebody had dropped a long, long time ago. He smiled as they scampered around, chattering at each other. He smelled the musty smell of decaying leaves, and breathed in the scent of a crisp autumn breeze. The watched the leaves dance on their stems as they longed to break free and join the swirling dance of the others. He saw the sunlight poke its long fingers through the trees, warming him as he walked along. This is where he belonged. This was his life. 

Peter continued on his walk through the woods, determined to get to the Courtyard. The Courtyard was the most magical place in the woods, the centre of its power and majesty. This is where the Forest God resided. Peter had to see HIM. He would know what to do with the troublesome kids at his school. The Bringer of Life would understand. He was Peter's best friend. Ever since that day, the Forest God and Peter were an unstoppable pair. That day would forever be etched into Peter's memory.

~~~~~~~~~~

Peter was brand new to the town, as were his fathers. Everyone looked at them weirdly, as if they had three heads or six arms. Peter didn't understand why. Maybe it was because Pop was listening to the 40's station and everyone else had the pop music station on. Maybe it was because Dad was talking to the car and asking it if it liked the neighbourhood. Peter thought that was perfectly fine, but maybe some other people thought that was weird. Peter shrugged. They don't realize what they're missing. As the family car turned into their new home's driveway, Peter heard a voice. It was quiet, but it was there. It seemed to speak in a thousand tongues, like it was speaking through the wind. It spoke through the grass and it spoke through the clouds. It spoke through the car and it spoke through the trees. All Peter knew was that he had to follow that voice.

Once the family got inside the house, Peter asked his fathers if he could follow the voice that spoke like the wind. His fathers agreed. Peter was 8 at the time, and an extremely smart eight year old. Both Tony and Steve knew that the forest would protect their little boy, for the voice of a thousand winds had told them that it would protect Peter. They trusted the voice, for they trusted in the things that you cannot see. This had earned them the respect of the Other World. Well some people might be kept up at night by terrifying dreams, the Rogers-Stark family would be guarded by the Others for the rest of their lives. What you give, you will get.

Peter ran into the forest, and he ran and ran until he could run no more. He sat down, winded, on a fallen log, and thought of the voice. Why had it called him to the forest? Why had it chosen him? Could his dads hear it? Was it living or dead? "I assure you, I am living." There it was! The voice! It was so close! Where was it?! As Peter twisted around, looking for the voice, a great presence sat at the side of the boy. It was both ancient and young at the same time. It was old and new, dark and light. It was a perfect balance. When Peter turned around, he saw the voice. Its face was familiar. How did he know it? "Dear child, you have seen me in the photos that your Pop keeps." Then Peter remembered where he had seen the face. It was one of Pop's favourite photos, he and his best friend Bucky at the FOB in Afghanistan. Peter was confused. Bucky was supposed to be dead! "I wanted to see what life as a human was like" the Not-Bucky said "I wanted to feel emotions, I wanted to be more human. Thanks to that life, I made a better one for myself." "B..b..but who are you now?" Peter stuttered, trying to wrap his head around the situation. The Not-Bucky got up, a caring look in his yellow eyes. "I am the Forest God, but I am also your friend." With those words, he was gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Peter was dragged out of his memories by a sudden change in temperature. The forest's temperature dropped, sending a shiver down Peter's spine. But Peter was not afraid. He knew what was happening. At that very moment, a huge black ant with piercing light blue eyes scuttled down across the suddenly very black sky. A light blue aura radiated from the massive insect, and it turned its head to look at Peter. The ant almost seemed to smile at Peter, but it was cut short when a massive falcon, radiating that same blue aura, snapped its head up into the air and caught the ant in its beak. It's light blue eyes peered down at Peter as well, and it beat its huge black wings as it rose up from the horizon. It landed right in front of Peter, and it set down the ant that was still in its beak. "Well, if it isn't my bug bro!" the Ant said as it smiled. "Scott, spiders aren't bugs, they're arachnids" the Falcon huffed as it preened itself. "Insects, arachnids, they're all the same to me!" Scott laughed. "So, Spider-boy, how's life?" "Awful" Peter huffed. "The kids at my school are getting worse. They never believed in you guys, but now they're making fun of HIM." The two massive beasts reared back. "WHAT?!" the Falcon screeched. "Woah, Sam, calm down!" Scott said as Sam flared his wings. "This is awful, but remember, HE will punish them." "True" Sam smirked "They'll all fall before the Forest God." "I know, the kids at my school are infuriating" Peter laughed. "You're good, Spider-boy" Scott told the teen as Peter blushed. "Awww, thanks guys!" "No problem" Sam smiled "But y'know, we really shouldn't keep you waiting." "Why's that?" Peter asked. "HE's expecting you" the giant falcon replied. With that, Sam spread his wings and shot up into the air, Scott once again hanging from his beak. "See you soon, Spider-boy!" the massive ant called as the two beasts disappeared into the black, black sky.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once the two Spirit Beasts had disappeared, the forest returned to its original state. The temperature went back to a comfortable level, the breeze returned, and the sun once again poked its fingers through the canopy of trees. Peter always loved seeing his friends. He loved watching how the world changed around him as the Spirit Beasts bent the Earth and the sky to their wills. They were his only true friends, and he was so glad to have them. And of course the Forest God knew he was there! He knows everything that goes on in his forest! He didn't need Sam and Scott to tell him, but it was still a nice thought. Feeling rejuvenated from his visit with the spirits, Peter trekked on, deeper into the forest.


	3. Sometimes you can't see someone until they're gone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooooo, it's not too weird, right? It was an idea from the shower so it has to be a good one! So, in case you were wondering, this forest is home to the Spirit Beasts and the Forest God, and Peter can talk to all of them. Tony and Steve can to, but to a lesser degree than Peter. Most of the time they can just hear them and not see them. Remember, believe in what you can't see!

Peter continued on his walk through the peaceful woods, stopping at random intervals to close his eyes and just feel the forest around him. Every time he did so he would be engulfed by memories of different times in the forest. He loved reliving those memories. All those times were the best times in his life. He and his parents walking through the forest when they first moved to the town, he and his dads building a fort from fallen logs that they found scattered around the forest floor, playing in the leaves and hearing them crunch underneath his weight when he jumped into them. Ah, those were the times. Then there were the times that no one else could see, other than the other two members of the Rogers-Stark family. Peter's favourite memory from those ones is the one when he introduced his dads to the Forest God. He remembered Bucky hiding his face within the shadows of the buck skull he wore, only letting his piercing yellow eyes stare out from the shadows. Poor Bucky. So scared of hurting Steve again. He knows that he was the reason why Steve's mind was firmly set in the past, and he knew that if Steve saw him it would only get worse.

Peter sighed as he remembered their meeting after Tony and Steve left the woods. Bucky was so sad. He saw his best friend, but couldn't show him who he really was. Those yellow eyes of his were filled with sadness as he recounted the days of war, back when he and Steve served together overseas, protecting those who couldn't protect themselves. Bucky had told Peter before that he didn't use his magic when in battle, since that would tip the balance of the universe and anger fate. But after that meeting, Bucky told Peter that he had used his magic once, back when he had seemingly died. He had used his magic to shield the other soldiers in his caravan. He couldn't let them die, they still had lives to live. Fate had dictated that those soldiers would not die that day, so in their place, human Bucky died. Bucky was fine with dying though. He had had a great life as a human, and he had learned many things from his time as a human. He knew that it was time to go back to being the Forest God. He had turned and smiled at Peter, saying that although he was sad, he had to remember the good times that he had. He told Peter to always think of the good, and to not let the bad control him. Peter wasn't listening to that now, since the kids had spoken a sin so severe that it could not be forgiven. Peter was so wrapped up in his anger that he didn't even notice the difference in temperature.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"You are filled with anger. Why?" a smooth, accented voice whispered as Peter snapped out of his daze. He looked around, and he saw that the forest had once again changed to the forest of the Spirit Beasts. The trees glowed blue as they swayed in the wind, and the black sky swallowed up any dim light coming from the stars that dotted its surface. Peter knew what Spirit Beast was visiting him now, but he could not see him. He twisted and turned, scanning the dark forest for the massive panther. And sure enough, there he was, perched on a large rock that seemed to glow a dim red. The panther's long black tail swished absentmindedly as the piercing blue eyes stared at Peter. The stripes covering the panther's body in a way that was reminiscent of a tiger's pulsated and glowed with the same blue as its eyes. "Are you going to answer my question, young man?" T'Challa asked as Peter continued to stare. Of all the Spirit Beasts, T'Challa was the most intriguing to Peter. He always managed to astound the teen by never seeming to be there in shape unless he truly wanted to be seen. Today was one of those days.

"Well?" T'Challa huffed, growing impatient with Peter. "Oh, sorry T'Challa. You still manage to surprise me every time I see you" Peter replied. T'Challa laughed. "Of course you are. You do realize I can read your emotions." "I know!" Peter smiled as he rolled his eyes "I just thought I'd tell you." "So, Peter" the great cat hummed "What has got you so angry?" Peter's face darkened as he remembered the day again. He was having such a good time in the forest, and then the Beasts had to keep reminding him of the crappy day! "The kids at my school slandered the Forest God's name." The panther lept to his great paws and roared. "WHAT?! What an ignorant and awful thing to do!" "I know, Scott and Sam reacted the same way when I told them the news" Peter grumbled. "They were right to react like that! What those kids did is a severe crime!" T'Challa cried. The panther paced around his rock, stripes glowing an even more intense blue as the trees all around shook with a powerful wind. Eventually the panther sat down once again, taking deep breaths. "I will not let such small and insignificant beings control my emotions" the beast said. "And I advise you to not let them control you either." That was directed at Peter. He kept trying to remember Bucky's lesson, but it was hard! "I'll try, T'Challa." "Good" T'Challa said. "Now get going, I must not keep HIM waiting." Just like Sam and Scott before, T'Challa ran off into the woods, blending in with the dark shadows.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Peter opened his eyes, and once again the forest was normal. He had a feeling that all of the Spirit Beasts were going to visit him on this walk through the woods, which just slowed him down. Did they not realize that he had to get to the Courtyard? Peter thought they did, for at the end of both of his Spirit Beast encounters they said that they mustn't keep HIM waiting. But they ARE keeping him waiting by holding up Peter! Sometimes he really couldn't understand the forest creatures, but he trusted their judgement. He knows that they have lived in this forest for much longer than he ever had, and much longer than any human had. He trusted them, and so he will keep on walking, waiting for the next Spirit to arrive.


	4. Some people never stop, they're always moving on

Peter was starting to get tired of the visits from the Spirit Beasts. They were being even more cryptic and weird than usual, and that's saying something! They only seem to be addressing Bucky as 'HIM', even though he's given them permission to call him by his human name. But, even with all of their quirks, the Spirit Beasts were great friends. They listened to Peter and gave him advice when something was going on in his life that he knew his parents wouldn't be able to solve. They showed him parts of the forest that he hadn't even known had existed! But best of all, they told amazing stories. They told Peter all about the Time Before, which was before any humans roamed the North American continent. They told him of when they traversed the world in a few days, for the land masses were stuck together. They told him of how many human warriors had come in search of them and the Forest God so that they could bestow upon the warriors great gifts, and of how almost none found them. The Spirit Beasts would only be found if they wanted to be found. So, even with their crypticness and nagging, Peter thought that he was a pretty lucky guy. But the one who told the best stories, other than the Forest God himself, was Thor.

Also known as the Great Bear, Thor is very close to humans, and finds them extremely interesting. He loves hearing their stories and their own versions of stories that were created long before them. He gives people stories without ever coming directly into contact with the humans, keeping his identity as a Spirit Beast a secret. He was so fond of the ancient Scandinavian peoples that they even included him in their stories, but instead of a thunder bear, he was a thunder god. They made him human, not even realizing that they were doing so. Their legends portray him very well, almost completely accurate, but they forgot his storytelling side. He only did it when there were young ones around, or people who were interested, so the portrayal of the great bear as just a god of strength is almost perfect. Few understand his stories, for his booming voice can be confused with thunder, but some, like Peter, understand him. That's why when Peter felt the wind pick up from the light breeze to a fearsome gale and heard a loud boom, he knew what Spirit Beast would be visiting him next.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The massive bear that was black as night with electric blue eyes came crashing out of the now dark woods just a few moments after those first rumbles of thunder. Electricity flew from the bear's shaggy fur, lighting up the dark woods with a brilliant display of lights and sounds. Thunder seemed to come from the ground as the beast's paws hit the solid earth, shaking Peter where he stood. As soon as those blue eyes landed on the teen, the great bear's maw split apart in a laugh that seemed to shake the sky. The bear reared up, slapping the air with a massive paw as it laughed. "AH! IF IT ISNT THE BOY OF SPIDERS!" Thor boomed as he set his paws back on the ground. "IT IS SO NICE TO SEE YOU ONCE AGAIN, LAD." "Yes, you too Thor" Peter said as he cleared out his ringing ears. Thor sure knew how to make an entrance. "DO NOT FEAR, MY BOY, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REPEAT YOUR TALE OF WOE, FOR THE BLACK PANTHER HAS TOLD ME EVERYTHING. I TRULY RELATE TO YOU, FOR I HAVE HAD MY OWN TROUBLES IN THE PAST!" Thor said as he lowered his muzzle to look at Peter. At least Peter didn't have to say, for what feels like the umpteenth time, that the kids at his school took the Forest God's name in vain. "TELL ME, BOY OF SPIDERS" the bear roared "HOW ARE YOUR PARENTS? ARE THE MAN OF IRON AND THE AMERICAN CAPTAIN ALRIGHT?" Peter still didn't understand why Thor called his dads that. Yeah, Dad was a mechanic and Pop was a veteran, but why call them Man of Iron and American Captain? Thor had told him the reason before, but Peter had forgotten it. "They're fine. Dad still talks to tech and Pop still thinks he lives in the 40's." "HOW DREADFUL. SAY, WHILE YOU ARE TRAVERSING THIS FINE FOREST, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR ONE OF MY GRAND TALES THAT HAVE ECHOED IN THE HALLS OF VALHALLA FOR CENTURIES?" The bear looked hopeful that Peter would say yes, but he had somewhere to be. "Sorry Thor, but I got to get going." Peter told the thunder bear. If it's possible, the bear looked sad, but soon picked up his smile once again. "AH YES, I WOULDN'T WANT TO KEEP HIM WAITING!" Thor winked, and the Great Bear crashed off into the forest again.

Peter was sick of all these visits, and these cryptic messages. Why couldn't he just keep going WITHOUT interruptions? "Sorry" an accented voice hissed. "But you will have one more visit before you are ready." With those parting words, Peter was shot back into the regular forest, leaving the forest of the Spirit Beasts behind once again. But not for long.


	5. I never knew why that was, neighbour kids say it's because

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M GOING TO GET ALL THE CHAPTERS DONE WOOOOOOOOOO! Aaaaanyway, for those reading this who haven't played Night In The Woods, all of the chapter names have been from the song 'Weird Autumn', which is also the name of this fic. So if you were wondering about the names, there you go!

Peter knew that accented voice like the back of his hand. That voice belonged to one half of the dynamic duo, the Maximoff twins. Except that half was the half that didn't like Peter. Wanda was a bitter Spirit Beast, always mad that she couldn't have taken on the appearance of a more grand animal than what she was given. Her brother, Pietro, was fine with his form. He loved it! He was always one for speed, and his form really helped with that. Peter was good friends with Pietro, and he was Peter's favourite Spirit Beast to see. They were so like each other it was almost scary. They were both silly and fun, so they got along like two peas in a pod. Remember, Peter was only moody and mean at school because no one believed him when he told them of his adventures in the forest, and they took his knowledge of the supernatural world for granted. When he was with his dads or when he was out in the woods, he was a completely different person. He became an extrovert, always joking around and enjoying life. Pietro was exactly like Peter before he died. Wanda was like him at school when she died.

The interesting thing about the Maximoff twins is that they weren't born Spirit Beasts like the others. They were given the powers and forms of Spirit Beasts when they died. They were descendants of a small group of Sokovian people that came to North America when the Vikings first landed in what is now Newfoundland. Unlike the Vikings, they decided to stay and explore the bountiful land before them, eventually leading them farther inland. They settled in the valley that would eventually become Brooklyn, New York. Pietro and Wanda were their last living descendants, for their mother and father were both part of a radical group who's beliefs eventually got them killed. Ever since they were born their parents had told them to believe in the supernatural, and so their beliefs guided their lives in the 1600's. This led to them being branded as witches, and they were burned. The spirits that they had communicated with hated the treatment that the Maximoffs were given, and so they made the Maximoffs Spirit Beasts like them. Ever since then, the Maximoff twins had had divided views on humans, with Wanda hating humans and Pietro liking them. As much as Peter liked talking to Pietro, he hated talking to Wanda. That's why he went stubbornly into the Spirit's forest instead of going willingly.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Unlike all the other times Peter had been sent to the other version of the forest, this version had a river coursing through it. The spectral water was as black as the sky, but a faint blue glow rolled off of the river's banks. As Peter stared at the river, a whoosh on his right made him turn around, giving him a perfect view of the twin's dance in the sky. The two massive fish swam through the air with the ease of an Olympic swimmer, undulating and twisting in ways that most people would think are impossible. One fish had scales the colour of blood, with a brown head and fins. Her eyes glowed a deep pink, making her seem more threatening. The other fish had light blue scales, and a gray head and fins. His eyes were the same deep pink, matching them and making them twins. The blue fish laughed as he swam through the air, bolts of light flying from his fins while the red fish stared sulkily off into the distance as red waves surrounded her scales. "Hey Pete!" Pietro called as he rolled through the air, spinning and flipping like a jet doing tricks. "Hello" was all Wanda said as she broke from their dance. "Nice to see you guys, but could you possibly just let me go back to the normal forest? I have to get to the Courtyard" Peter said as he approached the giant fish. "Yeah, that's why we're here!" Pietro smiled as he swam a circle around Peter. "We are to take you to the Courtyard, for you have strayed from the path" Wanda murmured as she stared at Peter, her eyes full of hate. "Alrighty let's go!" Pietro laughed as he scooped Peter up and plopped him on his scaly back. Soon, the two fish took off into the black sky.

"Here you go, the Courtyard!" Pietro said as the blue fish coasted to a halt in front of what appeared to be a gate made of tree branches. "Fool, this is not the Courtyard that HE is in" Wanda chided as she floated over to the gate. "HE is in the normal world, which means we cannot go with Peter." Pietro pouted as well as a fish can before finally giving up. "Yeah, that sounds right. Why would HE be in the Spirit Beast world when HE wants to talk with a human!" " I guess that's my cue to leave" Peter said as the two fish stared at him. "Yes, that would be your signal to leave. Begone" Wanda snarled as the dark forest disappeared once again, leaving Peter staring at the huge tree gate that signified the entryway into the Courtyard. Even though he had been to it many times, the gate still left Peter in awe. He took a deep breath and pushed open the gate.

~~~~~~~~~

It was even more beautiful in the autumn than any other time. The ancient trees were filled with colour, seeming to give the old giants new life. Animals ran around undisturbed in the fallen leaves, stirring them up into a dance that could rival the twin's dance. Lights circled the round clearing, each one beginning to emit a soft glow as the sun began to set behind the trees. As Peter spun around, once again trying to take in everything in the Courtyard, the voice that spoke with a thousand winds floated into his mind, permeating the air with its power and grace. "Hello Peter, I am so glad that you are here!"


	6. Autumn was weird in a way

Even though Peter had seen him countless times before, the mighty Forest God always managed to take his breath away. Here, in the peak of the autumn season, he was even more beautiful. Peter has speculated that the Forest God is the reason why he is such a raging bisexual, but he can never be too sure. But now he certainly was the reason why! There he was, perched in his throne carved from the stump of an ancient oak tree, glowing like a field of wheat bathed in the late August sun. His boots and gloves seemed to be hewn from the dark rocks of the Appalachians themselves, and his suit was made from the forest leaves, their dark greens blending together to create a magnificent piece of clothing. His belt was made from the roots of ancient trees, while his shoulder pads seemed to be a mixture of fur and twigs. The cape that fell down his back was full of autumn colour, the leaves making it up seeming like a mosaic of autumn. His massive Great Horned Owl wings sat perched on his back, spreading out to catch the last rays of sun. His left arm seemed to be made of diamonds, glittering in the lamplight while the blood red maple leaf, fashioned in the shape of a star, glowed from within the diamond arm. The deer skull atop of his head seemed to grow as it's antlers reached for the sky, obsidian stalks shining in the fragile light. His long brown hair framed his face as it fell onto his shoulders, and his autumn yellow eyes peered out from a rough and unshaven face. "I love how you are always astounded at first when you see me. It reminds me of when you were young."

~~~~~~~~~

When anybody hears the title of Forest God, they picture a fearsome and imposing man sitting atop a throne of bones, his blood red eyes staring out into the dead forest surrounding him. They never picture this kind soul. Bucky had been alive for millions of years, sitting on his throne, watching the world spin as his forest grew. He had always been a kind soul, building his forest to give creatures refuge from the terrible winters that had plagued the land. He used his magic to bring life with him, and he used it to make life better for those who were already living. But he had always felt that something was missing. He felt that some form of compassion was missing from his body. It turns out that the missing piece was his humanity. He cast a spell on himself that turned him human, giving him a cycle of life just like ours. He learned, he played, he laughed, he cried. No one knew that an ancient being was in their presence with the power to kill them all at his fingertips. But Bucky was not a killer. That was why when he signed up for the army everyone didn't believe him.

Even in the army he never killed. He always made sure that when he fired at anyone that his bullets would always miss their marks, giving the men and women on the other side a chance at life and peace. He was the friendliest guy in his unit, and quickly made friends. Within that group of friends was a man named Steve Rogers-Stark. Bucky knew that he had an aura of a believer, but he couldn't show his true self to him for he was not the right one. When Bucky learned that he had a son, he knew that the son was the right one. Fate would lead the family to the forest. When the caravan was struck by that IED, he knew that fate was telling him to return to the forest, so he protected the other soldiers and let himself die. He soon returned to the forest, feeling whole, and he waited for the one.

That one is now his best friend.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Bucky!" Peter screamed as he ran over to give his best friend a hug. The two embraced each other in a powerful hug, and they both started laughing like idiots. "I'm so happy to see you again!" Peter laughed as he jumped for joy. Bucky's wings flared out, accentuating his words, "Same! I feel like we haven't seen each other in millennium!" Peter stopped jumping, and the ecstatic look on his face slid off, soon to be replaced with one of anger and sadness. "I wish I was here for a reason like just seeing you again, but I'm afraid that is not the case" he growled. Bucky's look shifted as well, his wings folding up to rest comfortably on his back, and a frown etched onto his face. "What's wrong? I hardly ever see you so unhappy." Peter took a deep breath. He was going to have to tread lightly around this one, because even though Bucky loves humans, he couldn't stand it when they brushed something off like it was nothing, especially beings of great power like himself. He was a firm believer in the way of "Treat others in the way that they would like to be treated." Nobody wants to be treated like dirt. Peter decided that he would just get it over with and say it straight out. "The kids at my school, especially Flash, rubbed your name in the dirt and called you fake." Bucky's eyes flashed a bright yellow. He bared his teeth. Uh oh.

"THEY. SAID. WHAT?!?!?" The Forest God roared, shaking the trees and causing the sky to darken. His eyes burned like the yellow of a fire, no longer their warm, comforting yellow. But contrary to what Peter believed, Bucky was getting really riled up over something else. That something was that Flash had shoved Peter into a locker. His wings had snapped open and had spread all the way out, making the Forest God seem even bigger. Peter had never seen him so angry before. "I know what they said was bad...." he tried. "NO!" Bucky roared. "IT'S WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO YOU THAT IS UNFORGIVABLE!" Peter had almost forgotten that Flash had slammed him into a locker, he was so mad at him for talking smack about Bucky. "I HAVE BEEN CAST ASIDE MANY TIMES, BUT YOUR ABUSE SHALL END TONIGHT!" The Forest God snarled. "THEY SHALL PAY, ESPECIALLY EUGENE THOMPSON." Peter snickered. Flash's real name was Eugene? No wonder he changed it! As he snickered, Peter saw Bucky's face change. The stormy look that had covered it had flown off, leaving the caring man behind. "I am sorry, Pete. I shouldn't have gotten so angry." Bucky hung his head, ashamed. "It's alright Buck!" Peter said, lifting the chin of the Forest God. "I think I'm much better now since I know Flash's real name is Eugene." Bucky laughed. "That is a pretty terrible name. But no matter, I shall still teach him a lesson, just not as harsh." Peter exhaled the breath that he hadn't known he'd been holding. Even though he hates Flash, he didn't want him to die. "As sad as it is to say goodbye, I believe your dads wanted you home by dusk." Bucky's voice broke through Peter's thoughts. Oh yeah! "I wish I could stay for longer" Peter said as he hugged his friend again. "No worries. You'll see me soon enough" Bucky winked. "Goodnight Pete." "Goodnight Bucky." The world went dark.

~~~~~~~~~~

When Peter opened his eyes again, he was standing at the edge of the path leading into the woods, right in front of his back gate. Satisfied with his adventure, he swung the gate open and headed to his back door. "How was your grand adventure, son?" Steve said as he turned to watch Peter come in the back door. "See the Forest God and the Spirit Beasts?" Tony inquired as he too spun around. "Yup. All my problems have been solved. No more heavy heart" Peter smiled. "I'm so glad I have you guys" he said as he ran over to his dads and swept them up in a hug. "We are too Pete. We are too." Tony murmured into his son's ear as the three of them cuddled on the couch.


	7. Epilogue: Weird Autumn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it. This is the end people. I managed to do this in one day without dying. Yaaaaaaaay! After this I'm gonna go take a nap, I'm tired.

When Peter returned to school the next day, he noticed that a certain bully was missing from class. He knows that Flash likes to skip school a lot, but that's only once he has himself marked down on the attendance list. That means he has to be at school when the bell rings in the morning. The principal of Peter's school doesn't really care if his students suddenly leave the school after getting to school in the morning, he just cares about the attendance marks. Since Flash wasn't at school, everyone was wondering what was going on with Flash. Theories were thrown around like spitballs, ranging from "Oh he's just sick" to "I bet Peter kidnapped him and his weird family sacrificed him to that Forest God of their's." None were true, but the kids didn't know that.

Flash didn't come to school the next day, or the next day, and finally he came after a three day absence. Everyone was asking him about what had happened and why he wasn't at school, but he didn't seem to want to talk about it. Flash seemed to be really different from before, more humble and quiet. He was nothing like the Flash that everyone knew. He was quiet, helpful, even kind! Absolutely nothing like his former self! Since he had such a radical change in behaviour, theories once again took flight, filling the heads of all of the students, causing the teachers massive headaches. None of the kids were paying attention! They were all staring at Flash, who seemed to be the only one actually doing work! Peter had gotten suspicious ever since Flash didn't come to school, and when he saw his new demeanour, Peter figured out what was going on. Bucky had told him that he was going to teach Flash a lesson, so this must be his lesson! One of peace and tranquility! Peter was determined to find out what happened.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey Flash, what's up?" Peter asked as he slid into a seat beside Flash in the cafeteria. The bench was wide open now, since everyone believed that Peter had done something really weird to Flash, so they all sat as far away from Flash as possible. It was so different a few days ago. People used to fight over who got to sit beside the school's top jock! Now, only the most shunned kid in the history of the school would sit beside the fallen star. "The stars. The stars are up" Flash replied in a quiet voice. "The beauty of the heavens is up." Peter scooched back a little bit. This really was a different Flash! The original Flash had never been this insightful! "Did you....see anything a few nights ago?" Peter asked as Flash continued to eat. "Yeah, I did. When I was sleeping, my window opened and I saw this crazy being standing at the foot of my bed! It told me to change, to reconcile, to become something better. So I did. I mean, I was so scared that it was gonna kill me that I would do anything it said!" Flash said as he stared at his sandwich like it held the answer to life. "Wait.....it didn't kill me....I'm still here....so what's the point of being so nice?" Flash snarled as he sat up. "That kook was just a dream! I made it up! It can't tell me what to do!" All the kids in the cafeteria looked up at Flash as he towered above Peter. "So get lost, freakshow!" Flash yelled as he pushed Peter off the bench. The kids went wild as they surrounded their champion, leaving Peter on the floor. He smiled. Even though he liked other Flash, life wouldn't be the same without him.

The rest of the school day flew by. Everything went back to normal in a split second. Kids were avoiding him again and whispering about him. Ahhhh, this is the way it's supposed to be. The school bell rang, unleashing a tidal wave of kids as they scrambled to get home to start their weekends. Peter walked at a leisurely pace, slowly heading home to his two weird dads and his weird house. The autumn breeze circled him like a wreath as he walked, making him feel truly at peace. The temperature dropped, bringing with it the sound of shadows as the Spirit Beasts walked beside him down the road in their alternate universe. Peter was not in their world at the time, but he could feel them. He could feel the breeze from Sam's wings as he flew by, T'Challa's fur as he ran beside him. Thor' electricity made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and he could see flashes of blue and red as the Maximoff twins danced. How wonderful his life was.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Peter finally got home, the sun was beginning to set, hiding its rays behind the tall trees of the forest. He could see his dads inside the house, dancing and swinging to an old song straight out of the 40's. Their shadows danced along the walls as the light of the kitchen tossed them away, the two oblivious to their shadow's plight. Outside, the leaves danced in tandem, matching Peter's dads with every step. They twirled and spun in the autumn breeze, living life while they still had a drop of it left. As he watched the dances, Peter heard the winds in his ears, asking him to follow them into the forest, just like they had that fateful night. Peter turned, and there, bathed in the shadows of the forest, two warm yellow eyes stared out at him, inviting Peter to join them in this autumn dance. And so, the residents of Brooklyn, human or not, danced the night away, embracing the weird autumn before them.

**Author's Note:**

> * I am not from Upstate New York so I don't know if there actually is a town called Brooklyn. Please forgive me if this is the case.
> 
> Also I am very sorry to any Germans reading this. I only included Krauts because Steve believes that he lives in the 40's, and sadly that was the nickname for the Germans. I mean you no harm. I am sorry if I have offended you!
> 
> (If this note shows up in the epilogue, read it as the note for the first chapter. I have no idea why it keeps showing up in the epilogue)


End file.
